In a surprise move sure to sadden Beliebers, Justin Bieber has cancelled all meet-and-greets with his fans on his current Purpose worldwide tour.
The pop star made the announcement on his Instagram, explaining that the interactions leave him “feeling so drained and filled with so much of other people’s spiritual energy that I end up so drained and unhappy”.
“[I] want to make people smile and happy but not at my expense.”
The limited VIP packages, which grant fans time backstage with Bieber to mingle and take photos, range from $975 to $2,000. Refunds will be issued, while modified packages will also reportedly be offered, which would still allow fans to take photos and video of Bieber in a hospitality lounge, according to Bkstg, the company behind the arrangement.
The company indicated that Bieber’s decision to cut back on fan face-time has less to do with keeping the musician’s spirits afloat, and more with maintaining his safety.
“During a recent show, there was a security incident that caused our team to have to meet and rethink how meet and greets were handled,” the Bkstg team wrote on their app.
According to TMZ, that show occurred on Monday night, when a “potentially dangerous fan” got within 10 feet of Bieber during a backstage meet-and-greet. The fan in question was allegedly on the “watch list” for Bieber’s security team.
The site also reports that Bieber has had his hair pulled and clothes ripped following intimate paid encounters, and that he contracted the flu from one sickly fan.
“This is a new tour with new venues almost every night and still a changing process, but we have decided for the time being that this is our best course of action,” Bkstg continued in its statement.
Meet-and-greet packages are commonplace for big pop acts. Britney Spears charges between $1,525 and $2,525 to take a photo with her during her Las Vegas residency. Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas, who are soon set to embark on a joint worldwide tour, are offering fans the opportunity to purchase an “ultimate VIP dressing room package”, for an astonishing $10,000. Backstage access includes dinner for four, time spent with the two stars, and a “custom designed bag”. It does not include a concert ticket.
Rihanna is flying in the face of this trend. She has offered free meet-and-greets outside her tour bus after every stop on her current Anti tour.
